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-(NuM0deL) H. J. EVANS.

' I VINE CUTTER. No. 548,530. Patented 0011.22, 1895i INI ENTOH WI TNESSES. QZM/Q ,Mz/ W MA 'Z BY L AM/u, V@

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UNiTED STATES PATENT Enron HAMMOND J. EVANS, OF HAMPTON, CANADA.

VINE-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,530, dated October 22, 1895. Application filed May 23, 1895. Serial No. 550,428. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAMMOND J. Evans, of Hampton, in the Province of New Brunswick and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Vine-Cutter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for cutting vines; and the object of this invention is to provide a machine adapted to cut off parts of any creeping vine, but is particularly adapted for use in trimming or cutting off runners of strawberryvines, in order to promote the strength of the plant; and a further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character which will be simple, durable, and economic, and capable of being carried close to the plant, cutting off desired portions without injuring remaining portions; and, furthermore, to provide a means whereby the cutters may be adjusted, and whereby ready access may be obtained to said cutters for the purposes of sharpening or cleaning when necessary.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

In carrying out the invention the body of the machine is made to terminate at its forward end in a finger 10 of substantially the same shape as the finger of a sickle-bar in a harvesting-machine, the bottom of the finger being adapted to travel on the ground, and the said finger is inclined upon its upper face in a forwardly and downwardly direction and beveled at its sides in opposite directions. The body is preferably made integral with the finger, and where it connects with the said finger is carried upward, and from thence in a rearwardly direction, whereby the body is of more or less angular construction The body and finger-bar are made in two sections a and a, divided longitudinally, and in the rear portion of the finger-bar and forward portion of the body a longitudinal opening 11 is produced at the center or where the two parts are connected, and this opening is prefcrab] y considerably wider at the bottom of the finger and body than at the top, in order that a proper clearance may be obtained for any particles that may adhere to the cutters, the said cutters being located within the opening 11. The two sections of the body and finger are connected by bolts 12 or their equivalents, and a handle 13 is secured in any suitable or approved manner in the rear portion of the body, the said handle being preferably curved upwardly and rearwardly to facilitate the manipulation of the machine.

In the upper portion of the body an axle 14 is secured, upon which two ground-wheels 15 and 16 are carried, the ground-wheel 15 at the left-hand side of the machine being provided with an internal gear 17 and is fast on the axle, while the opposing ground-wheel 16 may be and preferably is of the ordinary construction, and is removable from the axle.

At or near the central portion of the opening 11 in the body and finger of the machine a shaft 18 is journaled. This shaft extends beyond the left-hand side of the body, and at its extended end a pinion 19 is secured, meshing with the internal gear 17 of the groundwheel15, whereby the shaft receives its motion from the movement of this ground-wheel.

A stellated cutter-wheel 20 is secured on the shaft 18 within the opening 11 of the machine, and the teeth of this wheel are sharpened, being beveled in direction of the left-hand side of the wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and in the left-hand wall of the opening 11, at or near the forward portion of the same, a recess 21 is made,in which a cutter 22 is adjustably secured, the said cutter being provided with openings 23 and adjusting-screws 24, passed through the said openings, holding the cutter in place. The upper edge of this cutter is made to extend upward substantially flush with the upper surface of the finger and finger-bar of the machine, and is beveled downwardly in direction of the left hand side of the machine, and the cutting of the material is efiected by the cutting-edges of the stellated wheel passing the sharpened edge of the stationary cutter 22.

It is obvious that the stationary cutter may ICC be adjusted or removed, as occasion may demand, by simply removing the ground-wheel 16 and separating the two sections of the finger or finger-bar, together with the sections of the body.

In the operation of this machine as it is advanced the vines will be taken up by the finger-bar or finger and. will be directed between the cutters, where the vines will be quickly and cleanly severed.

In the event the vines might be damaged by the passing of the machine in its ordinary shape after desired parts have been cut, or when it is necessary to cut close up to the body of the vine, the wheel 16 is removed, bringing the cutters near the trunk and precluding the possibility of injuring the standing portion of the vine after the surplus material has been removed.

This machine is exceedingly simple, it is durable, and it is economic, and it may be conveniently operated. Furthermore, it will sever the tendrils or other'portions of a vine in a manner which will prevent as far as possible the bleeding of the vine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A vine cutter, comprisinga body portion formed with a forwardly extending pointed finger bar having a lower fiat side to travel along the ground and inclined or curved on its upper side from its side edges to its longitudinal center, a longitudinal central ver tical slot at the juncture of the body and finger bar, a stellated cutter Wheel journaled therein, a stationary cutter mounted in the side of the slot at the forward end thereof with its cutting edge at the upper side of the finger bar for co-operation with the teeth or arms of the cutter wheel and supporting wheels in rear of the cutter wheel and geared thereto, substantially as described.

2. Avine cutter, comprising the pointed finger bar having an upwardly and rearwardly extending body-forming portion at its rear end, the whole being divided on its central vertical longitudinal line into two sections secured removably together face to face, a vertical slot being formed in the rear end of the finger bar and the adjacent body portion, and a second inclined handle receiving slot being formed in the rear end of the body portion by registering recesses in the inner faces of its two sections, a rotary stellated cutter wheel journaled in the first named slot and operating in connection with a fixed cutting edge at the upper side of the finger bar, and the ground wheels, one of which is geared to the rotary cutter, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for cutting vines, and for similar purposes, the combination, with a body and a finger bar or finger projected forwardly therefrom, the body and finger bar being provided with a longitudinal opening and constructed in sections, and ground wheels su pporting the said body and finger bar, of. a r0 tating stellated cutter mounted to revolve in the opening in the body and finger bar, being driven from one of the ground wheels, and an adjustable cutter placed in a wall of the said opening in front of the rotating cutter, whereby a shear cut is obtained, and ready access may be secured to either cutter for purposes of sharpening or for other purposes, substantially as described.

HAMMOND J. EVANS.

Witnesses:

R. LE. B. TWEEDIE, GEORGE K. FROST. 

